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Paid opportunity to participate in groundbreaking medical research study to improve DNA vaccination in humans

1 May 2015

UCL Division of Medicine's translational research team (Royal Free Campus) is looking for participants for a groundbreaking medical research study.

Paid opportunity for male students to participate in groundbreaking medical research

In collaboration with the MRC Jenner Laboratory at the University of Oxford, the team is testing a mechanism of improving the human body's response to DNA vaccination, which has the potential to greatly improve treatment of many human diseases.

Who can take part?

In order to participate you must be:

  • Male
  • Aged 18 to 50
  • HIV negative
  • Healthy

What will it involve?

Participants will receive 3 infusions ('drips') and 5 vaccinations (injections into your upper arm muscle) over a 24 week period. There will be 17 study visits in total, 3 of these will involve an overnight stay and the rest will be short (ranging from 1 to 4 hours). You will be required to give a blood sample at each study visit during this time.

When, where and how much?

All visits will take place at The Royal Free Hospital. You will be compensated for your time and effort in taking part, £50 for each short visit, £150 for each overnight visit and a £50 bonus if you complete the study.

What will happen to my information?

The researchers will follow ethical and legal practice and all information about you will be handled in confidence.

Why is participation important?

DNA vaccination works well and stimulates excellent protective immunity against a variety of different infections, and even some cancers, in many animal species, but in humans it has not been effective.

This is a proof-of-concept study testing a method of improving the human response to DNA vaccination. A successful outcome of the study will open the way to use of prophylactic and therapeutic DNA vaccination against major infections including HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, and also cancer, with enormous potential health and economic benefits.

Who should I contact?

For more information please contact:


The study is sponsored by UCL, funded by the MRC and has been approved by an independent Research Ethics Committee (ref. no. 13/LO/0090).

Thirusha Lane, UCL Division of Medicine